Snoring is the vibration of respiratory structures and the resulting sound. The irregular airflow is caused by a narrowing, collapsing or blockage of a passageway and is mostly due to relaxing throat muscles and in some cases is extended to Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).
Statistically, at least 30% of adults snore and rising to 60% of men and 40% of women aged 60 to 65 years; this suggests an increased susceptibility to snoring as age increases.
Snoring is known to cause sleep deprivation to snorers and those around them, as well as daytime drowsiness, irritability, lack of focus and decreased libido. It has also been suggested that it can cause significant psychological and social damage to sufferers. Multiple studies reveal a positive correlation between loud snoring and increased risk of heart attack by about 34%, and increased risk of stroke by about 67%.
Some systems may require specific pillow bodies limiting the pillow options of the user, where the user might have medical or personal preference choosing his/her pillow based on a range of features including size, softness, hardness, rigidity, neck support, air flow, material allergies, etc. In some methods and systems, the displacement component is isolated with limited effective area and may not be effective if user's head is not placed directly on top of the displacement component and elsewhere along the length of the pillow. Furthermore, some systems place the mechanical and hydraulic components of the system, such as pumps and motors, within a pillow body, resulting in loud noise or vibration in close proximity of the user's head. This noise or vibration results in disrupting the sleep of the snorer as well as other individuals in proximity of the system. In addition, the battery and electrical components being housed within the pillow body results in exposing the head of the user to a number of potential harmful elements such as radiation, electromagnetic fields, and such, which can result in headaches and other symptoms.